Get the School Year Off to a Great Start

When it’s time to put away our bathing suits and sand buckets in exchange for school uniforms and lunchboxes, there is bound to be a transition period for both kids and parents. But that doesn’t mean your family can’t show some enthusiasm for the new school year ahead.

Help your child write and send a note or a handmade card introducing themselves to their new teacher a week before school begins. This sends a positive message about your child’s excitement for the new school year as well as parent involvement in the classroom.

Set aside some time to write your child fun notes to send along in his lunchbox or backpack on the first few weeks of school. It can be something as simple as “I’m thinking about you today—hope you have fun with your friends at recess. XoXo Mom & Dad"

Create a First-Day-of-School dinner menu on your computer or by hand with colorful construction paper to make that first day back-to-school extra special. You can keep the menu options simple, like your family’s favorite pasta dish, or go as fancy as you like with something like a roasted chicken dinner with all the fixings. You could even surprise them with a “make-your-own-sundae” dessert bar to celebrate the first day of school. It’s a great time for everyone to share one or two goals they hope to accomplish during the new school year ahead.

Dig up and share old photos of you as a school child. Talk about what was happening and where you were in those pictures. It’s hard to imagine Mom or Dad ever being kids, but they’ll be fascinated by the stories you share from such a “long time ago!”

Plan a family field trip a few weeks into the new school year. Take a vote on an outing your kids would love to do, like apple picking, attending a local fall festival, or even a road trip to just see some new sights and visit a new restaurant for dinner. This will give the entire family something fun to look forward to during those nerve wracking couple of weeks as they get used to a new school routine.